by Niki Crawson | Jan 19, 2017
4-H Alumnus Jerrett Kandzer with his agent, Niki Crawson.
As a 4-H Agent, one remembers many of their “firsts” on the job, i.e., their first day, their first fair, their first 4-H club meetings, etc. For me in Holmes County 4-H, I was hired in the midst of a reorganization phase within the program. I clearly remember meeting Jerrett Kandzer one of my first days on the job in 2007, a reserved yet quick-to-smile farm boy who seemed to be doing a good job of holding in the excitement of asking me 101 questions as his new 4-H Agent. He, along with his sister and parents, met with me to discuss re-establishing a 4-H archery club in our county. Excited to have volunteers and youth interested in starting an archery club again, I couldn’t wait to get started. That very next week, we all set a date for our first club meeting. Jerrett and I still laugh today about the day of our first club meeting when we had to count me, the 4-H Agent, as the fifth member in attendance so that we did not have to cancel our first club meeting! However, thanks to Jerrett’s perseverance and leadership as a youth nine years ago when starting the Dead Centers 4-H Archery Club in Holmes County, we now have over 65 4-H members in our archery program alone! So, when getting ready to ask Jerrett how he believes 4-H has impacted him, I hesitate. Thinking back over the past nine years, I am finding it difficult to think whether Jerrett has been impacted more so by 4-H or if 4-H has been impacted more so because of Jerrett. For a 4-H Agent to have the pleasure to ponder such a wonderful conundrum means that 4-H is truly growing inspiring leaders!
According to Jerrett, he joined 4-H as a means to find extracurricular activities that fit not only his after school schedule around his farm life but also to find an outlet that fit him personally. As he put it, “I was looking for somewhere I fit in. I wasn’t an athlete in school. I was raised on a farm. So, I thought 4-H was cool.” After joining 2007, Jerrett began to help rebuild and cultivate a sense of belonging for the next seven years in Holmes County 4-H. With his giving spirit, contagious enthusiasm, and natural sense of urgency to make actions count, he truly inspired everyone he met to get involved and make the best better.
Jerrett’s passion for learning, leadership, and youth continues as he is applying his 4-H-acquired life skills in his life journey. Currently, he is a junior at the University of Florida in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, with a graduation date of Spring 2018. He attributes his good leadership and time management skills to his deep involvement with 4-H. Always wanting to do much more than time allows, Jerrett said 4-H taught him to prioritize and schedule his time efficiently. In fact, In between college classes, studying, squeezing in fast visits back home, and working with CRU on campus, Jerrett still devotes time to 4-H as a volunteer with Alachua County 4-H. When asked why he felt compelled to volunteer at this time in his life, Jerrett replied with his easy grin,
“Ms. Niki, there are not many ways to serve your community as a poor college kid. Overall, I’d say being a 4-H volunteer is an easy and safe way to give back to kids and the community.”
When asked about what he enjoys the most about 4-H, Jerrett immediately replied, “Working with kids. Helping youth learn by doing through hands on experiences is a good vessel for them to mature with positive adult role models around to assist them. 4-H is not about winning like other youth programs are about. It’s about growing through maturity, not competition.”
Jerrett is a Holmes County 4-H alumni, a true 4-H leader. He is a present day 4-H example of the definition John Quincy Adams once gave a leader, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” So it’s little surprise that this 4-H alumni has no intentions of ending his green journey after college. Jerrett’s career plans include putting his 4-H life skills, farm experience, and University of Florida education to perfect use as a future UF/IFAS Extension Agriculture Agent. We look forward to Jerrett’s return to the Extension Service one day soon.
Are you a 4-H Alumni interested in “paying it forward” to inspire the next generation? We would love to talk to you about the different ways you can help us grow 4-H in your community! Contact your local UF IFAS Extension Office or visit http://florida4h.org for more information.
by Niki Crawson | Nov 17, 2016
Not much can make one happier that the warm scents of pumpkin spice, twinkling festive lights, and the joyous spirits that the holiday seasons bring many families. As the Thanksgiving holiday season approaches and we find ourselves dashing from one from one festive event to another, it becomes a wonderful opportunity to pause with our family members and reflect on how we can continue to apply one of our very important 4-H essential elements, generosity, into the holiday season to demonstrate simple acts of gratitude, that being that one is thankful for the kindness of others. Research supports that individuals are observed to be happier, healthier, and have a more positive outlook when they practice being grateful on a regular basis (Berrena, 2016).
4-H supports the life skills of nurturing relationships and concern for others through generosity. Gratitude is just one of many ways that we as a 4-H family can foster generosity, compassion, and kindness for others. By helping our children recognize and thank those that are important in their lives and also by appreciating what they currently have available to them, it will make their best better, even on challenging days.
Expressing gratitude should be a daily act and does not have to be complicated or costly. In fact, expressing gratitude can be quite fun and can also be a creative outlet and even incorporated into a family togetherness project. For the sake of the holidays, below are five festive ways that you and your family can express gratitude in the coming days.
- “I am thankful for…” Statements – Expressing gratitude can be as simple as sharing what you are thankful for aloud to others. Start a daily habit of having each member of your family create a “I am thankful for…” statement. Remind your family as you begin this activity that they can share their grateful statements with others throughout the day.
- Colorful Place Mats – If you are looking for a creative outlet for your family, putting crayons to paper to design colorful place mats are a wonderful way to capture their gratitude! Simply grab some construction paper, crayons, and instruct the children to write, “I am thankful for…” at the top of the paper. Then design away! Once done, you can easily laminate the artwork so spills can be wiped away during the holiday meals. These lovely gratitude place mats will become keepsakes for years to come!
- Acts of Kindness – When you and your family can, it is always great to give of your time to others. Organizations such as food pantries or homeless shelters can always use assistance. You can easily find individuals in your community that may need special assistance with getting firewood or even holiday shopping. If your time is limited, contact an organization to see what other needs they have such as food or monetary donations.
- Tree of Thanks – Another creative activity you and your children can easily put together for the dinner table and add to it throughout the holiday season is the Tree of Thanks. Simply gather a tree limb of whatever size you prefer for your table piece and provide your family with paper leaf cutouts and crayons. Each evening before dinner, have your family decorate a paper leaf with something that they are thankful for. During the dinner meal, have a family discussion on gratitude and what the leaf means to them. When the discussion is done, hang the leaf on your Tree of Thanks. At the end of the holiday season, your family will have a beautiful display to be proud of!
- Thoughtful Notes – Handwritten notes are still wonderful ways to express how much you are thankful for others. Even better are notes that are handmade by children! It takes little time, a blank sheet of paper, and a few crayons to create a thoughtful note to give to someone. Make a point this holiday season to tell someone just how much they mean to you in the form of a written note. I guarantee you the note will be cherished for years to come!
So, remember, gratitude is all about the positive attitude. It is a gift not only for the person you are sharing it with but also, it is a gift for yourself. Focusing on what you do have increases your level of happiness. Go forth, apply generosity, and be grateful this holiday season! Happy Holidays!
References:
Berrena, E. (2016). Practice Gratitude. [Online], Available at: http://extension.psu.edu/youth/prosper/news/2016/practice-gratitude
by Niki Crawson | Oct 9, 2015
Noah, a Holmes County 4-H member, is learning responsibility through the 4-H Chick Chain project.
Regardless of the age-old debate, “which came first, the chicken or the egg?” one thing is certain- raising chickens is a big responsibility. One of the newest and most creative ways that some of our Florida 4-Hers are learning the importance of being responsible is through the 4-H Chick Chain pilot program.
This year, six counties in the Florida Panhandle partnered with Alabama 4-H to offer the Chick Chain program. The goal of this project is to help youth learn life and workforce skills while learning how to raise and show chickens. Thirty-six Florida 4-H members chose to take on the responsibility of raising 18, two-day old chicks from May through October. Over the course of the program, youth participated in workshops to learn how to care for their chicks, keep records of their project, and how to prepare their animals for a show. This past Saturday marked the culminating event of the project when youth participated in a show and auction in Ozark, AL. During this event, youth competed in a showmanship competition, record book competition, and poultry quiz. All three events counted towards their overall score.
Members also had a short course in entrepreneurship- they were required to meet with potential buyers and market their hens. Life skills were clearly present in every aspect of the 4-H Chick Chain program which aided youth in the further development of not only responsibility but also confidence, capability, and compassion. When asked about his experiment, Noah, a Holmes County 4-Her shared:
“Chick Chain is a great opportunity to learn about responsibility and respect for other people and animals. You get to raise 18 of your very own chickens for a couple months and then get to take them to a show with your fellow 4Her’s to compete for ribbons and money. You also learn about proper sportsmanship. I love it!”
Based on participant’s feedback, we will be expanding the pilot next year and making some exciting programmatic changes. Holmes County 4-H parent and club leader, Jewellyn Owens, was instrumental in developing the Chick Chain pilot for Florida because she saw the potential this program had to help youth learn valuable life skills while increasing their knowledge about agriculture. Jewellyn shares:
“My family Loves Chick Chain. It is a great program for children wanting to do a 4-H livestock program but their parents don’t feel they are ready yet or can’t afford the cost of the larger livestock. Chick Chain has taught my children respect, sportsmanship, caring for another living creature and responsibility. My children love seeing their chicks grow from 2 day chicks to full grown egg laying chickens. Best part is getting to eat their chicken’s eggs. I also feel it teaches them other aspects of life like record keeping, writing, leadership skills, financial responsibility all things that will help them years down the road.”
4-Hers spent 6 weeks learning how to care for their chicks, biosecurity, showmanship, and recordkeeping.
If you would like to help 4-H grow responsibility in your community (through this program or others) consider becoming a 4-H volunteer. For more information about becoming a volunteer, or to find out about next year’s 4-H Chick Chain program, contact your local UF IFAS County Extension Office. We are also looking for sponsors to help expand this program.
For more information, check out:
by Niki Crawson | Jan 16, 2015
Jim Forman receives the honor of 2013-2014 Holmes County 4-H Male Volunteer of the Year, voted on by the Holmes County 4-H youth members.
It’s no doubt that Jim Forman, a local Holmes County resident and 4-H volunteer, loves working with children. He has been instrumental in expanding the Holmes County 4-H Dead Centers Archery Club since 2013. With an increase of youth membership in the shooting sports club and new equipment received from a grant through the NRA, the program is highly successful in teaching youth safe shooting practices, positive sportsmanship, and critical thinking skills. Jim’s countless hours of volunteering with 4-H youth even earned him the 2013-2014 Holmes County 4-H Male Volunteer of the Year. So, what does a fantastic volunteer do when he gets an opportunity? Learn more, be more and do more to help 4-Hers be the best they can be!
Research shows that the continuous presence of caring adults is critical to achieving positive youth development. Thus, because of Jim’s profound impacts as a 4-H volunteer already, he was specifically selected to travel to North Carolina in November of 2014 to become a National 4-H Level 2 Archery Instructor. After successful completion of the week-long certification program, he now assists Florida 4-H in conducting trainings to provide 4-H volunteers the opportunity to obtain Level 1 certifications in the shooting sports discipline of archery.
Anyone that meets Jim can see that he truly values his role as a 4-H volunteer. Jim tells others that “it’s great to watch the youth start out and then work so hard to improve.” After his recent national training, Jim informed his 4-H Agent that she will have a hard time getting rid of him one day as he truly enjoys volunteering and teaching the kids something he has a passion for. He further stated that he loves being part of the 4-H family, now on a larger scale due to the national training he recently participated in. Jim not only met 4-H volunteers from across Florida, he was able to meet new 4-H contacts across the entire U.S. which has led to frequent contact via social media to share 4-H programming ideas. In fact, because of Jim’s volunteerism with 4-H and participation at the National 4-H Level II Archery Certification this past November, he was unexpectedly brought back in contact with a friend and former military veteran after 40+ years.
4-H is a community of young people ages 5-18 across America who are learning leadership, citizenship and life skills. 4-H programs are available to young people ages 5-18 in all 50 states, U.S. territories and U.S. military installations worldwide, regardless of gender, race, creed, color, religion, or disability. Volunteer opportunities with a wide variety of roles and focus areas such as shooting sports, livestock, arts, and STEM programming, are available for youth and adults. For more information about how you can make a difference in your community through 4-H, contact your local University of Florida/IFAS Extension 4-H Agent today.
by Niki Crawson | Oct 11, 2013
Volunteer teaching local youth how to build underwater robots.
The goal of 4-H is to teach youth life skills. In so doing, we find that we also equip them with marketable skills, a sense of belonging, and a sense of self-worth, each of which makes them more apt to be successful. However, besides the most obvious benefit that your volunteer services are to your local youth and community, there are benefits for you personally as well. In fact, studies indicate that individuals who volunteer, experience greater health benefits,1 and in some cases, that individuals can combat the onset of depression simply by volunteering.2 Additional personal benefits of volunteerism include increased social skills, and an expanded social network.
Another thing to consider is that by volunteering with 4-H you will have the opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of children. This more than likely will trigger a sense of commitment, pride, and accomplishment in you which leads to a more positive self-image. The more positive your self-image, the more likely you are to set and accomplish positive personal goals, thus feeling a sense of accomplishment which creates a continuous circle of self-worth and confidence.
One of the most undervalued benefits of volunteering with 4-H is the time spent practicing the very life skills you are teaching through 4-H programming like communication, teamwork, and program planning. As you work with your youth to help them develop these life skills, you too are strengthening them in yourself. When they combine their increased life skills with taking part in the wide variety of training opportunities presented through 4-H, some volunteers may open new doors for employment based on the skills they have learned and developed.
In today’s time when families are busier than ever and time seems limited, having a positive adult role model can truly influence the path of youth. Volunteering with a 4-H program allows these positive impacts to occur. If you are already a 4-H volunteer, take pride in your contributions and reap the joy and benefits associated with such. If you are not currently a volunteer, the great news is that you do not have to look far to find a perfect match for your volunteerservices…the Florida 4-H program welcomes you, and area 4-H Agents are eager to help you get started!
1 Dulin and Hill, 2003; Brown et al., 2005; Brown et al., 2003; Liang et al., 2001; Morrow-Howell et al., 2003; Midlarsky and Kahana, 1994; and Schwartz et al., 2003
2 Depression Alliance http://www.depressionalliance.org/latest-news/volunteering-combats-depression.php
